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pilicappetta's review against another edition
dark
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
filawless's review against another edition
challenging
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
My partner kept talking about this book as one he studied in school and it took me ages to actually get a copy. An interesting concept of a mixed race, mixed nationality relationship in the 1960s, it does now feel dated. While most likely reflective of the time, Mireille comes across and naive and Ousmane as arrogant and self centered.
archytas's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
I enjoyed this a great deal until the ending, which I kinda hated, so I will try to pretend didn't exist. Ba writes her characters with compassion and insight, and paints us a vivid picture of their lives in Senegal. She draws out the pressures, relationships and expectations that create communities. These social forces make the slow disintegration of her protagonists' marraige somewhat unavoidable, but seen through the choices her characters' make we also want for them to see more, to make different ones. The simplicity of the style, combined with sharp psychological insight, is not found as much now as a few decades ago, and it is a shame given how much power it can deliver in the hands of a skilled writer.
That ending though - it pulled the story into melodrama, and contained some of my least favourite tropes. A real let down to a book which relied on subtelty.
That ending though - it pulled the story into melodrama, and contained some of my least favourite tropes. A real let down to a book which relied on subtelty.
annawiktoria's review against another edition
dark
emotional
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
o0eileen0o's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
informative
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
muindie's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
2treads's review against another edition
challenging
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
'When one abandons one's own hill, the next hill which one climbs will crumble.' –Djibril
Scarlet Song and looks at interracial love and relationships, it interrogates the choice to love across race, especially within the colonial context where in both these countries, the newness of independence has not removed the class and racial prejudices from society and how that impacts these relationships.
Bâ has written main characters from both worlds who come together in an educational sphere and form a connection that leads to love. The reactions from both sets of parents are understandable if not equal in reactionary tone. Ousmane and Mireille are physically separated for a time.
Bâ writes her female characters with understanding and care, ensuring that the reader can see where culture and manner play into their behaviour and prejudices. She also does really well with expounding on these issues, giving the reader multiple viewpoints from her characters of how they see Ousmane and Mireille's relationship.
Scarlet Song and looks at interracial love and relationships, it interrogates the choice to love across race, especially within the colonial context where in both these countries, the newness of independence has not removed the class and racial prejudices from society and how that impacts these relationships.
Bâ has written main characters from both worlds who come together in an educational sphere and form a connection that leads to love. The reactions from both sets of parents are understandable if not equal in reactionary tone. Ousmane and Mireille are physically separated for a time.
Bâ writes her female characters with understanding and care, ensuring that the reader can see where culture and manner play into their behaviour and prejudices. She also does really well with expounding on these issues, giving the reader multiple viewpoints from her characters of how they see Ousmane and Mireille's relationship.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Child death, Mental illness, Racial slurs, Racism, and Violence
blessing_aj's review against another edition
emotional
funny
informative
reflective
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
janlc's review
dark
emotional
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Med "En sang i rødt" giver Mariama Bâ et portræt af en verden langt fra min egen. Der er på flere måder langt fra det nordlige København i 2022 til Dakars kvarterer i 1980erne.
Det er på en grad en styrke og en svaghed ved bogen.
En styrke fordi det giver et indblik ind i en anden kultur, en anden verden, der er så markant forskellig - og alligevel til en vis grad genkendelig (mennesker er nu en gang mennesker).
Og en svaghed fordi det indmellem kan virke så fjernt fra mit måde at se verden på, at jeg bliver lidt afkoblet fra historien. Når det er så forskelligt, så er det svært emotionelt at relatere til personerne.
Tempoet er meget langsomt, specielt i starten, og det gjorde bogen lidt tung i første del. Fra 2. del begynder der at komme mere skred i tingene, og det øger tempoet uden at det bliver højt.
Vi følger i historien Ousmane og Mirelle, en senegalesisk mand og en fransk kvinde, og deres kærlighedshistorie. De kommer fra hver deres miljø, og de udfordringer, der følger med det, er drivkraften i historien.
Der er ikke mange helte, at hente i den her fortælling, hvor de dårlige sider ved kultur og samfund bliver udstillet og spidet. Samtidig har jeg svært ved at udpege rigtige skurke. Der er afgjort karakterer, der er usympatiske i størstedelen af deres handlinger, men til en hvis grad kan jeg forstå, hvorfor de gør som de gør: De er fanget i deres kultur, og introduktionen af en person udefra ryster deres verdensbillede.
Jeg skal ikke afsløre om det er "stjernkrydsede" elskende, for at oversætte et Shakespare-udtryk, vi har at gøre med her, eller om det er historien om den store kærlighed, der overvinder alt.
Men man skal ikke læse bogen i håb om en stormende romance. Det er ikke historiens formål.
Det er på en grad en styrke og en svaghed ved bogen.
En styrke fordi det giver et indblik ind i en anden kultur, en anden verden, der er så markant forskellig - og alligevel til en vis grad genkendelig (mennesker er nu en gang mennesker).
Og en svaghed fordi det indmellem kan virke så fjernt fra mit måde at se verden på, at jeg bliver lidt afkoblet fra historien. Når det er så forskelligt, så er det svært emotionelt at relatere til personerne.
Tempoet er meget langsomt, specielt i starten, og det gjorde bogen lidt tung i første del. Fra 2. del begynder der at komme mere skred i tingene, og det øger tempoet uden at det bliver højt.
Vi følger i historien Ousmane og Mirelle, en senegalesisk mand og en fransk kvinde, og deres kærlighedshistorie. De kommer fra hver deres miljø, og de udfordringer, der følger med det, er drivkraften i historien.
Der er ikke mange helte, at hente i den her fortælling, hvor de dårlige sider ved kultur og samfund bliver udstillet og spidet. Samtidig har jeg svært ved at udpege rigtige skurke. Der er afgjort karakterer, der er usympatiske i størstedelen af deres handlinger, men til en hvis grad kan jeg forstå, hvorfor de gør som de gør: De er fanget i deres kultur, og introduktionen af en person udefra ryster deres verdensbillede.
Jeg skal ikke afsløre om det er "stjernkrydsede" elskende, for at oversætte et Shakespare-udtryk, vi har at gøre med her, eller om det er historien om den store kærlighed, der overvinder alt.
Men man skal ikke læse bogen i håb om en stormende romance. Det er ikke historiens formål.